After rounding up six ducks that had been raised from ducklings at the centre and taking them to the pond for releasing back into the wild, Tom had the opportunity to meet some of the other animals who currently live at the centre.
These animals need to find a home.
Commenting on his visit to the centre, Tom said: “The Riverside Animal Centre is a very important charity for our community. I always love to visit the centre and their very dedicated team of staff and volunteers.
“I particularly enjoyed seeing Thomas, a very friendly cat who is recovering for surgery, and Sophie, a dog who, despite being a little nervous, was not aggressive at all. Seeing these animals has made me even more committed to training for the Wild Man run in November.”
The WildMan Run is a 10km cross-country race over hills, mud, sand and more hills, which is regarded as one of the 'most challenging' off-road events. Tom will be completing the race in support of the Riverside Animal Centre.
Ms. Randall, who works at Riverside, gave some more detail on Thomas, the cat, and Sophie, the dog.
She said, “Thomas is a very affectionate cat. He loves a lap and is always purring. He needs a special hypo-allergenic diet and has had an operation on his eyes, but he is well on the road to recovery.
“Sophie is a nervous dog that will need a quiet home with children at least 18 or older. She can live with other dogs, but no cats. Sophie is slowly coming out of her shell here, beginning to play and take treats. However, she’ll benefit greatly from a home environment.”
The Riverside Animal Centre gives assistance to thousands of wild and pet animals every year. They also schedule viewings with their animals for those looking to adopt a pet like Thomas and Sophie.